Movable doll&#39;s eye



Dec. 29, 1953 J. LEE

MOVABLE DOLLS EYE Filed Jan. 31, 1951 w m g L H P S O J ga a-n inllr L ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 29, 1953 MOVABLE DOLLS EYE Joseph L. Lee, Bergen County, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Margon Corporation, Bayonne, N. .L, a corporation of New Jersey Application January 31, 1951, Serial No. 208,188

This invention relates to a movable dolls eye, i. e. a so-called sleeping eye, of a type which is adapted to be employed in a soft, e. g. rubber, dolls head. More particularly, the present invention pertains to an individually movable dolls eye which is adapted to be disposed in a socket in a dolls head, and to be entirely independent and separate from and unconnected to the other of the pair of eyes in said head. Even more specifically, a dolls eye embodying the present invention is of the type which has no parts, movable or stationary, located within the hollow interior of the head, aside from the socket itself, and which therefore can be inserted through an eye opening on the exterior of the head.

It is an object of my invention to provide an eye of the character described which comprises very few parts, is of a particularly simple and rugged construction, and whose components can be manufactured at a low cost by mass production methods.

It is another object of my invention to provide an eye of the character described which can be assembled with great rapidity and with little chance of error by comparatively unskilled labor.

It is another object of my invention to provide an eye of the character described constituting two principal relatively'rotatable parts, neither of which has a. spherical surface extending over more than 180 degrees, and neither of which is worked by tools during joinder, so that assembly thereof is quick and easy.

It is another object of my invention to provide a movable eye of the character described which does not require any special shape of socket for installation of the eye.

It is another object of my invention to provide a movable eye of the character described in which all the parts are fully or substantially fully housed within an eyeshell, and yet wherein no additional elements are incorporated for the purpose of limiting rotation of the eyeball.

Other objects of my invention will in part be obvious and in part will be pointed. out hereinafter.

My invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and the scope of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view of a dolls head, the same being partially in section better to illustrate details of the improved dolls eye;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; p v

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the eyeball; and

4 Claims. (01. 46-169) I Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the dolls eye in the region of an end of the eye shaft.

Referring .now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral I0 denotes a hollow dolls head made of a comparatively soft elastomeric substance, such, for example, as rubber, the same being of conventional external configuration. The head is self-form maintaining, in that it will assume and maintain the configuration to which it initially was shaped unless manually deformed. Said head includes a pair of eye openings [2, from which eye sockets I l extend rearwardly. Each socket defines a cavity that is completely closed except for the eye opening. More specifically, each socket l4 constitutes a side wall l6 of approximatelytubular shape which is closed at its rear by a back Wall l8 and is integrally joined at its forward edge tothe dolls head. The socket, like the head, is made of a comparatively thin elastomeric substance and, thereforacan be, deformed or stretched with comparative ease.

Pursuant to my invention, I provide a movable dolls eye 26 which includes an oscillatable eyeball 22 and a stationary eyeshell 24.

Said eyeball includes a forward portion 26 in the shape of one-half of a surface of revolution. This preferably is a semi-spherical segment, i. e. a hemisphere. Desirably, the eyeball is made in a diecasting operation using a conventional diecasting machine so that the shape of the surface of revolution may be substantially true.

The eyeball includes an internal thick segment 28 across its bottom, the back surface of said segment having a rearwardly extending squat projection 30. Said segment and projection are cast in one piece with the eyeball.

Except for the segment and projection, the eyeball is a hollow shell and the thickness of the forward portion thereof is substantially uniform; although, if desired, any parts of this portion which may be subjected to undue stress, or which are unduly weakened because of some structural modification, can be reinforced by thickening the eyeball at such parts.

The eyeball also includes a short round tubular portion 32 extending rearwardly from and in one piecewith the back edge of the hemisphere. It is desirable, for reasons which shortly will be apparent, to keep this portion as short as is possible, consistent with the provision of sufficient metal for structural strength. 7 r

The forward portion of the hemisphere is diecast with a lens-receiving frusto-conical seat 34, having a central opening 36. It will be observed that the spherical configuration of the hemisphere is a true circular section right up to the free edge of the seat, 34.

- In the plane where the hemisphere joins the tubular portion 32; the eyeball is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed holes 38, 40, which may be formed either during the die-casting operation or subsequently, as by punching or pierc-V. ing. It t be ob'served that it is in order, to provide sufiieieiit metal for the formation of these holes that the tubular portion 32 is included the eyeball so that, if desired, said portion may be abbreviated, save around the holes and atithe segment and projection; v

Optionally, the eyeball further is providedwith along narrow arcuate slit that is liicjated above the seat 34 and is centered wi h respect thereto. The portion of the eyeball intermediate to the seat and slit can b depressed slightly in, order to provide a support for; eyelashes 44. The slit and depressed portion either can be formed duriiig: dieg-casting operation or subsequent therete; The eyelashes are inserted through the slit and are heldin placeas' by a layer 46 of a cementitious substance or adhesive tape, e. g. a mas +s n e ar J "Ajleiis 4q is received in the seat 34; Said-lens may be fabricatedfrom a synthetic plastic, prefer; 7 a thernioplastic; so that it can be injectioiym 'ed. The lens "includes a frusto-conical an; l ..i to the: contour of the seat 34- and which corresponds to the irisof theeye. It also has a cylindrieal'center portion iz-whieh corresponds to the pupil or thei'eye'. Thejirdr'itsurface of thelens Qq tt tntes e ment; he e having the same-radius asthe hemisphere 26. Inasmuch as b th thelens; and the eyeball are cast, the lens ea be made tohayeanaccurate lit in the seat; the edgefof thelens will coincide substantially exacti ith; the edge ofthe seat, and the front surface of'thelens" will form asubstan'tially'unbroken continuation or; the outer spherical surfaceof the eyeball.

In order to permit the eyelashes to be located closeto' the, lens, withoutunduly weakening the eeba1l',ajportion of the frusto 'conical seat 34 ldjacent the" eyelash slit l,2f may, be mutilated to in re e thespace between the seat-and the slit. Ine'fiecti saids'e'at is truncated by a plane parallel to the has; 01f symmetry oi the seat and perpendicular to linerun'ninig between saidaxis and tiibiitif qr; the eyelash Sm. As a result; the portion f the seatnearthe eyelash slit constitiites aes e wam y extending wall The iii shaped to m t r tes configuration of he at-l V f't i he npiaqa n mae a m air f h examp e, thepupn-poruoa oi ens s aire'a ardlyj extending centrally locatedstub' '52 *br relatively small; diameter; which et"nds "through tlie'atorementioned opening 3e at-,;ai a whiehhasitsjrear' face covered with a "layer Si of paint or lacquen.

The eyeshell 24 is in some'respe'cts similar to th ft'ehallf Thus; the eyeshell "desirably is diecast in a 'conventi'onaldie-casting machine and includes a forwardportion 56- in the shape ota surface or revolution which isg'eometrically similai w't e'r iwarapoitibn 2 fiof-the eyeball; The shape of said' forward-portion '5G inthe prefer-red form of my invention is thatpfa sphericahsegmentivi'z"; a hemisphere; The shape; of s'aidsurrate also is substantially true. The hemisphere Whasan innerdiameterwhich is slightly largerthan the outer diameter ofthehemisphere 28; the difier'en'ce radius; for example, being in ace which is shapedto' conform snugly the order of ten to fifteen thousandths-of -an tially uniform throughout in order to permit the eyeball to turn within the eyeshell.

The eyeshell further includes a round tubular portion 58 extending rearwardly from the back edge of the hemisphere 5G. Said tubular portion 5% is sufficiently long to cover the weight projection. 38 in any angular position thereof.

From one viewpoint it may be said that because the eyeshell has a diametrical dimension slightly larger than that of the eyeball it defines the diametrical ambit of the eyeball, and in respect tothe combined eyeball and weight it will; be noted that the integral metal weight has 's'iibstantial mass for dependable operation of the eyeball although'it is devoid of a. Weight armand despite the fact that the weight iscona fined generally within the diametrical ambitof the eyeball so that both the eyeball and its, integral weight may be housed within the eyeshell;

The forward portion of the hemisphere. 5 6 is die-east with an opening 60 that is elongated; in a direction parallel to the axes of generation of the'surfacesof; revolution of the eyeball and eyeshell, that is, in horizontal direction when the head is upright. The opening is tapered toward its ends so as toapproximate the shape of the eye opening ina human head.

The eyeball is mounted to rotate within the eyeshell by means offa shaft 62 which extends ro h h egis e e ho es 0 nd h s h its pos d se ured n he i r same or sh S i ha t islo ie i p ncide w t xeser en ration i' her lur a s-of 111mm.- ti' nf h e all andleye he lzvi; a. wit i he major diameters of the hemispheres 26, Elfifwhich ar paralle o. helonsi dinal a i of he ope ins 89. n i n fe;n where he h mi nheres are joined to their respective tubular portions 32, 5B.

T x dite mou tin of t e haft its p p positionwith n theeyeball, the eyeshellis formed with two; shallow diametrically, opposite internal lead-in grooves 513', Bathatrun forwardly from the (rear edge of. the eyeshell to the plane :where the hemisphere, E5, joins. the tubular portion .53.; Said grooves may be formed by provision of channels in the thickness of the, wall. or, by pairs of shallow ridges projecting from the wall The v closed. ends oi the grooves are disposed I in the desired operative position of the shaft The tips of the shaft are'pointed, for instance, by cutt the gr ds-h of h l h tt at i -facil angle. The length of, the shaft .rr-om' tip to' tip slightly, exceeds the distance between the bases of the twogro'oves, the difierencebeing inthe order of a few, e, g. three-thousandths of an inch, Thediameter of. the shaft is less than the dime ers he ehi gs 38,119 f firehsa in the'diame'ters preferably not exceeding, the difference in radius betweenthe eyeballandfeye shell. i

To assemble the eye, the shaft. is. inserted through the openings 38,1 40, with as tips.eXtend,-. ingbeyond thejouter surface of theleyeball; The eyeshell is grasped between two; fingers' ,.and squeezed to slightly and temporarilyvdistort the same. The shell-is squeezed at points from the grooves 6 5, 35 and at the tubular. p o'rtionjil; so that the groovesare, shifted apar Thefeyeball now is introduced into the eyeshell, the ends of the shaft ridingjin the grooves until they abut; against the closed ends or the grooves. Pressure on the eyeshell then is released'and the sharp tips of the shaft thereupon will; be imbeddeddn the eyeshelle it will be observed that, as the eyeball turns,

the rear edge of the tubular portion 32 sweeps through a path slightly larger in diameter than the hemisphere 2B, and it is for this reason principally that a slight clearance is provided between the eyeball and eyeshell and between the shaft 62 and openings 38, 40.

Rotation of the pupil upwardly within the shell is limited by abutment of projection 30 against the bottom of the tubular portion 58, as indicated in Fig. 1. Rotation of the pupil downwardly is limited either by abutment of the eyelashes against the lower edge of the opening 60 or by abutment of the projection 30 against the top of the tubular portion 58, said projection being of the proper length to strike the top of the tubular portion when the eyeball has turned about 90 from the position shown in Fig. 1.

A dolls eye constructed in the foregoing manner can be inserted in an eye socket [4 from the front, inasmuch as there is no connection whatsoever with the other dolls eye in the same head. This permits the two sockets to be closed from the back, and thus prevents any dirt or foreign matter from entering the open back of the eye. Thus, I am able to make practical use of an eye which is far less expensive to manufacture and assemble than one wherein the eyeshell constitutes a substantially complete sphere.

It further will be noted that despite the open back the eyeball is free to rotate without interference from the back wall [8 of the socket inasmuch as the tubular extension 58 holds said wall away from the counter-weight projection 30.

Preparatory to inserting the eye in a socket, the opening is stretched to pass the eye, so that when the opening is released the eye will be held in place by the frictional grip of the socket thereon. The slight likelihood of the eye shifting in the head under these circumstances is further reduced by the shape of the eyeshell which obviously is non-symmetrical about two reference axes and which also desirably is made non-symmetrical about the third reference axis by casting the eyeshell so that the tubular portion 58 is flattened somewhat at the ends of the shaft 62. The flattening need only be slight, indeed so slight that it cannot be seen on the drawings. In an actual eye embodying my invention, the diameter of the tubular extension 58 parallel to the shaft 62 is about ten-thousandths of an inch shorter than the diameter perpendicular to said shaft.

t thus will be seen that I have provided a device which achieves the several objects of my invention and is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

Because various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention and inasmuch as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that the matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The reference in the claims to the eyeball and weight being made of a single integrally molded body of material is not intended to exclude the use of a separately made lens portion inserted in the eyeball as here shown.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An independent separately operable movable dolls eye, said eye comprising an eyeball and a weight both housed within an eyeshell having an eye opening, said eyeshell having a diametrical dimension only slightly larger than that of the eyeball but sufiicient toprovide clearance for rotation of the eyeball within the eyeshell, said eyeball and weight having structural characteristics resulting from having been die-cast from a single integrally formed body of metal, said eyeball including a forward portion having a generally hemispherical shape, said weight comprising a solid segment occupying a substantial portion of the lower half of the eyeball and having a projection which extends rearwardly of the rear edge of the eyeball, whereby said integral metal weight has substantial mass for dependable operation of the eyeball although devoid of a weight arm and while confining the weight generally within the diametrical ambit of the eyeball so that both the eyeball and its integral weight may be housed within the aforesaid eyeshell.

2. An independent separately operable movable dolls eye, said eye comprising an eyeball and a weight both housed and pivotally mounted within. an eyeshell having an eye opening, said eyeshell having a diametrical dimension only slightly larger than that of the eyeball but sufficient to' provide clearance for rotation of the eyeball.

within the eyeshell, said eyeball and weight hav-- ing structural characteristics resulting from having been die-cast from a single integrally formed body of metal, said eyeball having a seat at the front receiving a lens simulating the irisand pupil portions of the eye and including a forward portion having a generally hemispherical shape, said weight comprising a solid segment occupying a substantial portion of the lower half.

of the eyeball and having a projection which extends rearwardly of the rear edge of the eyeball, whereby said integral metal weight has substantial mass for dependable operation of the eyeball although devoid of a weight arm and while confining the weight generally within the diametrical ambit of the eyeball so that both the eyeball, and its integral weight may be housed within the aforesaid eyeshell, said integral eyeball and weight having no undercuts transverse to the fore-and-aft axis of the weight.

3. An independent separately operable movable dolls eye, said eye comprising an eyeball and a weight both housed and pivotally mounted within an eyeshell having an eye opening, said eyeshell comprising a generally hemispherical forward portion and a tubular rear portion, said eyeshell having a diametrical dimension only slightly larger than that of the eyeball but sulfioient to provide clearance for rotation of the eyeball within the eyeshell, said eyeball and weight having structural characteristics resulting from having been die-cast from a single integrally formed body of metal, said eyeball including a forward portion having a generally hemispherical shape, said weight comprising a solid segment occupying a substantial portion of the lower half of the eyeball and having a projection which extends rearwardly of the rear edge of the eyeball, whereby said integral metal weight has substantial mass for dependable operation of the eyeball although devoid of a weight arm and while confining the weight generally within the diametrical ambit of the eyeball so that both the eyeball and its integral weight may be housed within the aforesaid eyeshell, said tubular portion extending further rearwardly than said projection in any angular position of the eyeball and weight.

4. An independent separately operable movable dolls eye, said eye comprising an eyeball and a diameti ial ambit er? the eyebeu' sex meg; eg-i1;

e aame:

than-fi Aene pf Saki haft h a h shel l ie in nqrme i undispo t-edpositiori; but being more tlgap the lepgth of said shaftyvhen the eye shell is d.i s t ox tegl joy 1giesenre gi'ppiied against the top and bottom of-the eyeshelk, 7

JOSEPH L. LEE.

References Cited iii the" me of this' eteiifi UNITED STATES PATENTS Nurj'xb'e'r Nt'rii'- Date" 1 137E393 Dr'iii en ';Mer; 28; 1916- 15239;?[251 May 24, 1932 1,9412% Gr'ubm' n Feb. 13,193 139813333 Scha voir Neil. 20, 1934 2 0393928 Pdpdir'ich; "May 5, 1936 2359384 Gi ub maiitl Aug. 11, 1936' 251331635 S'che-efier Oct; 18, 1933 2,143,029 Pbpovibh' Jlan. 1Q; 1939 2546,682 Wilhelm Meir. 2'1, 1951 FGREIGN PATENTS" r iumber Country Date 623-2381 Great Britain May 13, 1949' 642-5365 Great-Britain" Aug. 23, 1950' 

